Episode 109 (Manga)
Synopsis As Jill and Rosine watch Rosine's elves play harmlessly together, the latter asks Jill if she's ready to become an elf herself. Jill isn't sure, disappointing Rosine, but she allows Jill the time she needs to come to a decision, leaving her alone with one compelling argument: life is better as an elf in the Misty Valley than as a girl in the village. Later in the day, a lone Jill stares at the sun through the thick foggy ceiling of the Misty Valley. She is surprised when Puck lands suddenly on her shoulder. He exclaims that he came to rescue her, but she is in no hurry to leave. She grabs Puck in her hand and lets him sit in her palm. She asks about Guts, but Puck explains that they parted ways after Guts nearly killed her while attacking Rosine. He reiterates that it's time to leave, but Jill tells him about Rosine's offer. She asks for Puck's advice on whether to accept the offer or not. Puck says that Rosine's elves are not real elves and Jill shouldn't seek to become one. Jill isn't so sure, watching Rosine's elves harmlessly play with nearby dragonflies, happy and carefree. To Jill, any life seems more glamorous than the one she currently lives. As an elf, she would have no need to worry about freezing winters, bad harvests, or bandit raids. Puck tries to use Jill's mother as leverage to return home, but it backfires, as Jill sees her mother as a passionless pushover. She fears that she'll become like her mother, or worse, her father, who beats his child as he pleases. She sees no other future for herself. She only notices how tightly she's squeezing Puck when he screams in pain. She releases him, and together they watch as a huge number of Rosine's elves play war in the grass nearby. They're organized in their movements, with leaders and soldiers. The illusion is shattered very quickly. Jill and Puck watch as the elves kill each other for real, smiling like children who are harmlessly amusing themselves. The sight is grisly, with elves impaled on twigs acting as long spears, breaking bones, dismemberings and beheadings. Jill watches as, away from the main group, two elves are running, one chasing the other. The pursuer catches its target and transforms into its more monstrous bee-like form. Pinning its helpless prey on the ground, it uses its stinger to jab at the other elf's genitals. The sight sickens Jill, and she vomits. Just as she recovers, more elves present her with a body impaled on five sticks. Jill swats them away in disgust. Upon impact with the ground, the deceased elf grows and grows, reverting to its human form in death. Jill looks up to where the main elf battle was fought, and sees dozens more human bodies, male and female, strewn about. She and Puck turn and sprint away, the elves chasing after them. Characters in Order of Appearance * Jill * Puck